The Portland daily press., 1887-08-16
SENATOR FRYE's IMPRESSIONS.
An Interesting Conversation on His
European Trip.

Senator and Mrs Frye arrived in Lewiston
Friday evening, In excellent health The
Senator, in conversation, said 1--WE have
been absent about i've months, and We have
had very enjoyable trip. We have taken
tour of the Continent and Of Great Britain,
and although we have seen many places, we
have seen no place like home, no place in all
respects equal to America. You will find in
the Old World much that l. admirable, but
what impressed me most painfully was the
poverty Of the masses Of the people. Why,
the people in Europe live on the poorest
food. and mighty little OF it. found labor
ers in Glasgow. who work for 2-6 a day (62
cents). was charmed with EdnbOrOugh, but
when | saw women drunk and fighting In her
beautiful streets, the modern Athens lost her
charms. cannot convey TO you the picture
Of the degradations and want throughout
Great Britain, caused by drink. | am
water In. Europe. Mrs. Frye and myself
managed t6get thrSagh Europe without beer
and wine or stronss drink, and l think we
have stood 1t very well. The water iR. ka-
rope Is good. as a rule. come 0acK 4 stout-
er cold water man than when / went away.
The drink evil Is horror.
Speaking Of wages, found girls In lace
factories In Venice, working with great skill,
for from five to twelve cents a day. the most
experienced getting twelve cents a day, out
Of which they have to liye-hut how they
live Is wonder. Their chief diet Is maca-
roni. Farm hands all over Europe (women)
earn 20 cents a day. Women do most Of the
field work. saw no improved machinery on
the farms OF the continent. / have seen 20
women In one field at work-nOt man in
sight. The plain people see no meat to eat
once a week on the continent The condition
OF American wage earners Is lncomparably
better than that OF working people in
Europe. It's the difference between comfort
and competence and discomfort and INSULT
cient food and clothing.
Perhaps the most eontemptible people
one meets abroad are the Angllcised Ameri-
eanS-the man who apes bot In manners and
language what he regards as the English ar
istocraey. affects to believe everything in
England perfect and seems to be ashamed to
Institute any favorable comparison between
his country and that. There was one Of this
type on the steamer, graduate Of Harvard,
SO delighted with English society that he
was inquired Of at the public table as to the
makeup OF the Congress Of the United
States, and deliberately told the gentleman
who asked him (who. by the way, was an
Englishman), that each State In the United
States had one Senator and two Representa-
tives. An American woman at the table
corrected him. Singularly enough, the ex-
posure OF his Ignorance did not seem to NOR
tiiy him;
"The despatch TO the Chicago News alleg-
ing hostility between myself and Mr.. Blaine
at marlborough was entirely without fOunda-
tion. Mr.. Blaine was apparently very desir-
Gus that l should accompany him and his
party through Scotland and Ireland, and
Mrs. Blaine and Mrs. Hale joined In the in
vitatiOn, but having travelled with friends
throughout the continent, we could not with
propriety desert them in Great Britain. Mr.
Blaine also kindly invited me TO all Of the
Carnegie festivities.
"Mr. Hale's family will remain abroad /;
but Mr.. Hale will return In the fall. Mr..
Blaine told me he might stay away year,
months. Mr. Blaine Is In good health.
When | was in Dublin there was a great de-
sire to have Mr.. Blaine come there. They
said they wanted to give him perfect mon
ster OF receDti0n. received the following
despatch on the steamer as was leaving
Liverpool; Bon voyage! All join In kind
est regards. Blaine"